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Iowa State University officially dedicated its $20.6 million addition to the Bergstrom Football Complex on Oct. 26, 2012. The lead donors for the project were Steve and Debbie Bergstrom of The Woodlands, Texas.

Their support for Iowa State was affirmed by Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard in a ceremony in the Steve and Patty McDonnell Auditorium in the 60,000 square-foot addition.

Pollard thanked all the donors who made the football-only facility a reality.

“This is a celebration of our vision,” Pollard said. “It was that vision for success that led us to bring Paul Rhoads back to Iowa State. Certainly, the success we have experienced on the field in concert with record-breaking fan support for Cyclone football has positioned us for a bright future. We are grateful to Steve and Debbie Bergstrom for their generous lead gift, which created a foundation for us to move forward with the project.”

The Bergstroms spoke briefly about their contribution to making the state-of-the-art facility possible.

“Debbie and I know how important facilities are to recruiting and when Jamie Pollard came to me about the football training center, we obviously saw a need for it,” Steve Bergstrom said.

“We have to help Coach Rhoads continue to grow the football program because it's the engine that drives the bus for the athletics department.’’

Iowa State President Dr. Steven Leath stressed the importance of top-notch facilities and expressed his support of the project and of dedicating the building on Homecoming “Cytennial” weekend.

“The now-completed Bergstrom Football Complex stands as a proud symbol of the commitment to excellence in intercollegiate athletics at Iowa State University,” President Leath said. “More importantly, it makes a huge statement about how much this university and our national family of Cyclone fans appreciate all that Iowa State student-athletes, coaches and everyone in the Athletics Department has accomplished for this university.”

Coach Paul Rhoads underscored the impact of a facility of the project’s scope. The previously existing indoor practice facility is now part of a larger structure 152,000 square-football building. The new building includes an impressive and spacious strength and conditioning facility, office complex with coach and positional meeting rooms, an auditorium and spacious locker rooms. Its athletics training area boasts leading edge sports medicine capabilities and the building is fully equipped with the latest video technologies. Rhoads said the new facility speaks for Iowa State’s commitment to Cyclone football.

“Our program is built around blue collar guys with a strong work ethic,” Rhoads said. “This building is going to allow us to progress and build on who we are as a football program. The state-of-the-art, cavernous weight room will feed the strength, speed and physical development of our players necessary to compete in the Big 12 Conference.”

Rhoads can give you a play-by-play description of how the Bergstrom facility vitally meshes with the future success of Iowa State football.

“Complete HD digital video capabilities allow our coaches everything they need to train and develop the minds of our players,” Rhoads said. “The locker room was built with the players in mind. To be successful in college football you have to keep your players healthy. The new training room will be as efficient as any in the nation. It includes the latest advances in hydrotherapy, preventative sports medicine and day-to-day conditioning all under the same roof. The meeting rooms possess all the latest digital technology.”

Substance Architecture was the firm that designed the new facility. The Weitz Company was the general contractor. Both are based in Des Moines.

Bergstrom Indoor Practice Field Playing Surface

The $10 million Steve and Debbie Bergstrom Indoor Training Facility opened for football practice in March 2004. The 92,000-square-foot building was constructed over the existing turf practice field as a part of the Johnny Majors Practice Complex west of Jack Trice Stadium. Funding for this project was from private gifts to the athletic department and ISU Foundation.

The facility provides a perfect year-round indoor practice facility for football, softball and soccer that allows ISU athletics teams to practice indoors when weather does not permit.

The Bergstrom Indoor Practice facility is part of the Johnny Majors Practice Complex that includes groomed outdoor natural grass fields that allow for easy transition from indoor to outdoor workouts.

It has a full-length football field and includes a kicking net and video tower for the Iowa State video staff to review practice film.

Soccer and softball use the facility to conduct practices, camps and other activities when the need presents itself to go indoors.

The facility also is home to the annual Cyclone FanFest, a summer celebration for all families that features autograph signing, sport instruction and inflatable games.

Directions

From US Highway 30, take the University Boulevard Exit (exit 146) and turn right off the exit. Follow University Boulevard around to Jack Trice Stadium. Take a left on South 4th street. It will be on your left.